Machine for making concrete blocks



June 27, 1950 J, B, LAGARDE 2,513,028

MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS 1 IN1/wrox y Mw/M l TTOE/VEY June 27, 1950 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 ZZZ- J. B. LAGARDE 2,513,028

MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JahnLayan/e BY A TTOK/VEY June 27, 1950 J. B. LAGARDE MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 INVENTOR.

,4 Tra/2M? Y `lune 27, 1950 J. B. LAGARDE MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 Patented June 27, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS John B. Lagarde, Anniston, Ala.

Application August 19, 1946, Serial No. 691,549

My present invention relates to a machine for forming building units such as concrete blocks, and has for an object the provision of a machine which shall be fully automatic in operation.l in which the working parts and controls therefor are reduced to a minimum, and in which the actuating mechanisms for the various parts are greatly simplified over those of existing machines.

A further object of my invention is to provide a concrete block machine embodying a hydraulically actuated presser head for compacting plastic material in a mold box, and other hydraulic means associated with the mold box and adapted to raise the same vertically about the presser head, thereby to strip the compacted and formed blocks therefrom.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a concrete block machine embodying a mold box movable upwardly about a presser head to strip the finished block therefrom, and embodying a pair of superposed axially aligned vertically arranged hydraulic cylinders, the lowermost of which moves the presser head, and the uppermost of which moves the mold box.

A further object is to provide an improved locking mechanism which shall be effective to prevent the lowering of the presser head or raising of the mold box exceptat the proper time during the cycle of operation, thus to prevent damaging the` machine. v

A still further object is to provide a block machine embodying a reciprocating feed drawer adapted to supply the mold box with plastic material in which the feed drawer is loosely connected to acut off plate movable beneath the open end ofa supply chute and in combination with means to effect vibration of the feed drawer, whereby the cut off plate remains stationary.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my improved machine with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line II-I of Fig'. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail isometric View with certain parts omitted and broken awayand illustrating my improved locking mechanism for the presser head and mold box;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the controls for the machine and the wiring and piping connections therefor;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of the front end of a pellet feed bar; and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View take!! 210mg vune vI-vr of Fig. 2.

6 Claims. (Cl. 25--56) l mounted on the side of the frame.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my' invention, my improved machine embodies a frame work comprising` a pair of vertically extending channels I0 and I I with the flanges thereof outturned. The sides of the machine are formed of platesv I2 and I3 welded or otherwise secured to the side flanges of the channels I6 and II. Cross members I4 and I5 are provided at the front of the machine for adding rigidity to the frame work, and other cross members I6, I 1, I8 and I9 serve both to strengthen the frame work and support certain parts of the mechanism, as will be more fully explained.

The channels I0 and I I are provided with guide slots 2l and 22 through which slidably pass guide blocks 23 and 24, which latter are secured at their inner ends to the sides of a mold box 26. The mold box 26 may be of the standard type for the simultaneous kproduction of three concrete blocks, the same being divided into three compartments by means of vertically extending plates 21, and each section 21 may contain cores l28 for forming a cored concrete block of the usual type. As seen more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the mold box 26 is open at its bottom and top.

Depending from the sides of the mold box are members 29 and 3|, joined adjacent their lower ends by a cross member 32. J ournalled in heavy duty bearings 33 and 34 on the under side of the cross member 32, is a shaft 36 rotatable in the bearings by a pulley 31, belt 38, and a motor 39 The motor shaft and pulley 4I carried thereby extend through an opening 42 in the side wall I3 of the frame work. The shaft 36 is provided with an eccentrically disposed weight 43 so that upon rotation thereof the frame work comprised of the members 29, 3l and 32, and hence the mold box 26, are caused to vibrate.

The member 29 projects below the cross member 32 and is provided on its lower end with a plate 44 passing between a pair of spaced outstanding plates 46 carried by the channel I0. The inwardly facing sides of the plates 46 lare lined with a shock absorbing material 4'I such las hard woven belting.' This contruction serves to limit the horizontal vibratory movement of the mold box responsive to rotation of the eccentrically weighted shaft 26. It is also to be noted that the center line of the motor shaft carrying the pulley 4I is slightly above the center line of shaft 36 so that when the mold box is moved upwardly, as will be `later explained, the belt 38 becomes loosened.

Mounted for horizontal movement over the top of the mold box 26 is a feed drawer 48 adapted to supply the mold intermittently with plastic concrete material from a discharge chute 49 of a material hopper 5|. The feed drawer 48 is supported on a pair of rollers 52 and 53 which ride on tracks 54 and 55, supported from the inner sides of the machine walls on angles 5'| and 58a. As seen more clearly in Fig. 3, the feed drawer 48 is made in the form of a box open at its top, bottom and rear side, and is secured adjacent its rear corners to opstanding plates 58 and 5,9 forming parts of a rearwardly extending cutoff assembly. The connection between these members is in the form of plates 6|, rigidly secured to the plates 58 and 59 by nuts and bolts. 52 and to. the side walls of the feed drawer 48 by means of other nuts and bolts 83. Openings 64 in the plaes 5|;

through which pass the bolts` @3, ,are slightly enlarged so that the feed drawer has a slight amount of movement relative to the plates 58. and; 59 for a purpose later to be explained.

r'Ijhle rearwardly extending assembly comprises, addition, to the plates 5,8y andy 59 a horizontal plate (p16,A disposed in close proximity to the open bottom of the hopper chute 49. and adapted to apt as a. elitair plate far the chute when the feed drawer is in its forward. mstin.- The rear 0f the. assembly is supported by means 0f rollers 65, similar tothe. rollers 5.2 and 5.3,4 and. these rollers also ride on the tracks. 54,. and 55t The cutoff plata i. ispreviriei with a downwardly estendirrs portion. 6.1 which forms, the raar wall of the when the rearinost shaft 68 is rotated, the re maining shafts are also rotated.

The feed drawer` 48 and the cutoff assembly, includingthe motor 13, are all adapted to reciprocate on the tracks 5 4 and 56 so that the mold box.` 26I supplied with material at the proper tiniein thesequence of=operation ofthe machine. The. assembly is reciprocated by means of an air cylinder 82, supportedl on cross member- |-lf, and

` having-the usual piston |33 and piston rod 84, the

latterbeing connected` to the downwardly exfte-ndingplate 6.1 as shown at 86.

The vertically extending.. channels I8 and areconnected at their topsby/cross plates -'land 8B; andsecuredtofthese cross plates bymeans of brackets 89. are. a pairl of axially aligned, superposed hydraulic cylinders 9l.v and 92, the uppermost` cylinder' 9|. having a cross head 90 carried by its piston. rod 93. Secured to the outer` ends oil thecross head. 90. area `pair of chains 94 and 96 whichV pass downwardly and outwardly/.off the frame over idler rol-lers- Bland- 9.8l and are secured aft; their lowermost ends to brackets 99. and |8| carnied'respectively by projecting outer ends of the mold box guide blocks 23 and 2.4.. The lengthsgoi? the chains 94-fandA 9.6; mayA be varied by means of adjusting bolts and locking nuts |02 and [913, respectively. It will be apparent, thereforge, thatwhen the.piston rod 93: moves upward connected to its piston rod |04, which latter is in connected to a presser head |051, The

presser head |01 is designed to straddle the cores 28 and plates 27 in the mold box 26, and contact the plastic material therein, in a manner well understood. The presser head is provided at each side withguide blocks |08 and |99 slidably disposed in slots in the channels lll and Downward movement of the presser head is limited by means of a pair of chains I I2 and ||3 which are secured at their lower ends to the guide blocks |93 and |09. At their upper ends, the chains ||2 and ||3 are connectedA to suitable c ross members ||4 joining the plates 8l and 88. The lengths of chains |2 and I3 may be Varied by means, of adiusting bolts |6 and locking nuts Pallets upon which the blocks are formed and remoyed from the machine are fed to the machine through an opening in the side wall which is disposed slightly to the rear of the mold box. As seen more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the. pallet feed comprises a carriage H8 carrying rollers H9 adapted to ride on tracks |2|, which preferably are in; the form of channels with their flanges inturned. The carriage has a pair of forwardlyv projecting arms |22 and |23 which are reduced in depth as shown, thereby to form a shoulder |24 adapted to engage the rear most side of the lowest pallet |26 of a stack and push av single pallet forwardly under the mold box 25 when the carriager is reciprocated. .At their ends, arms |22 and |23 each carry a. dog |21 biased rearwardly by a spring |2'la and adapted, upon forward Vmovement ot the arms, to push a loaded pallet` |28 out of the machine and onto a set of rollersl29. Upon withdrawal of the carriage and arms, the dogs |2'! are Eree to pivot forwardly, and downwardly, thus to ride beneath the pallet then positioned beneath the mold box 25. At the rear side of the. pallet, the dogs again come into engaging position so that whenthe carriage moves forwardly they engage the rear side of the loaded pallet to push the same from the machine.

The carriage I8. is reciprocated by means of an vconnected through a sprocket |39 to a sprocket I4! fast on a countershaft |42 mountedA in suitable bearings |43. The countershaft drives a cam shaft |44 through a sprocket chain |46, the shaft |44 being supported in bearings |41 and; comprises the sing-le shaft controlling all motions of the machine, as willV nowxbe explained.

Positioned alongside the cam shaft |44 is a valve |43 connectedby conduits |49 and |551 tothe upper and lower ends respectively of the mold box cylinder 9|. A similar Valve ,|5| is connectedby suitable conduits |52 and. |53 to the upper and lower ends of the presser head cylinder 92. The valve |48 is provided with a projecting actuating stem |54 in position to be struck by a cam |56 carried by the cam shaft |44. A similar cam |51 is adapted to strikev the projecting stem |58 of the valve |5| to actuate the same. Hydraulic fluid under pressure is suppliedfto both of these valves through a conduit |59 from a suitable source. not

shown, and a return'line |6| leads back to the source of supply.

yThe pallet feed mechanism is under control of a valve |62 connected by conduits |63 and |64 to the forward and rear ends, respectively, of cylinder `|3|. vThe valve |62 is of the three way type provided with a pair of actuating stems |63 and |614', the former of which is in position to be struck by a cam |66, and the latter by a cam |61, both fast on the cam shaft 44.

Av similar valve |68 is provided for the feed drawer cylinder 82, and has actuating stems |69 and |1| in position to be struck by cams |12 and |13, carried by the cam shaft |44. Air under pressure is admitted through a conduit |14 to both valves |62 and |68, the valve |68 being provided with suitable piping connections |16 and |11 to the front and rear ends, respectively, of the feed drawer cylinder 82.

The vibrator motor 39 is under control of a normally `open electric switch |18 adapted, at the proper time in the sequence of operation, to be closed by means of a cam |19 on the cam sh-aft |44, positioned to engage an arm 8| of the switch |18. Suitable circuits |82 connect the motor and switch to a source of power indicated by the lines |83.

The motor 13 for driving the agitator shafts 68 in the feed drawer 48 is under control of a switch |84, similar to the switch |18, having an arm |86 in position to be struck by a cam |81 on the shaft |44. Electrical connections |88' operatively conneet the switch |84 and the motor 13 to the lines |83.

While the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 4 does not yillustrate the various cams as being set for the proper sequence of operation, it will be apparent that by loosening the screws |89 with which each cam is held in place on the shaft 44, the cams may be rotated about the shaft and set at any relative angle thereon with respect to each other,

' thus obtaining a proper timing of the several operations.

Referring now more particularly to Fig, 3 of the drawing, I show a means for locking the presser head in the uppermost position and the mold box in the lowermost position during the reciprocation of the feed drawer. The side plates 58 and 5S of the cutoff assembly carry at their tops a horizontal plate |9| on which is mounted a bar |92, the front end of which is wedge shaped as shown at |93. The plate |9|, carrying the bar |93, is fast on the reciprocating cutoff assembly so that it moves forward therewith. Mounted in suitable guides |94 and movable bar |91 carrying at its lower end a roller |98, adapted when the bar |92 moves therebeneath, to ride up on the latter, thus to raise the bar |91 vertically. Intermediate the guides |94 and |96, bar |91 is provided with a wedge shaped member |99 adapted to contact a roller carried on the end of a horizontal locking pin 202, the latter being held for horizontal movement in suitable guides 203 secured to the sides of the machine frame work. Secured to the locking bar 202 and depending downwardly therefrom is a connecting member 204 carrying at its lower end a second locking bar 206 which passes through a suitable guide 201. The outer ends 2020i and 20611 of the locking bars are positioned, respectively, immediately beneath the guide block |08 for the presser head and above the guide block 23 for the mold box. Accordingly, it will be apparent that whenever the presser head is in the raised position and the |96 is a vertically mold box in the lowered position, the endsk202a and 206a are placed in locking position with re- 206 comprises a bar 208 having a slot 209 therein fitting about the vertical connecting member 204, and an upstanding section 2|| on its rearmost end. The plate 58 carries an angle member 2|2 having an adjusting screw 2|3 therein adapted, when the cutoff assembly and material drawer move rearwardly, to strike the upturned end 2| of the bar 208, thus to pull the connecting member 204 rearwardly. This motion'withdraws the ends 202a and 206a of the locking bars from beneath and over the guide blocks |08 and 23. It is to be noted that the plate |9| is secured only to the plate 58, thereby leaving the feed drawer 48 free to vibrate about the bolts 63, as will be later explained. Further, while I have described only one side of the machine as being equipped with the locking mechanism, it will be understood that both sides are similarly equipped so that all four of the guide blocks are locked in their respective raised and lowered positions whenever the feed drawer is forward.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawing, I show a bracket 2|6 secured to each front corner of the material drawer 48. The bracket comprises a circular portion 2|1 Within which is carried a block of resilient material 2|8 such as rubber. The block has secured to its ends metal plates 2|9 and 22|, joined together by a centrally disposed rod 222. The mold box is provided at each front corner with a stud 223 and a locking nut 224. The parts are so positioned that when the material drawer is forward the heads of the studs 223 are directly beneath the plates 22|. Vibration from the mold box 26 is thus transmitted to the loosely sup-- ported feed drawer 48, the latter being free to move slightly due to the enlarged openings in the plate 6| through which pass the bolts 63.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved block machine will be readily understood. The timing of the machine is accomplished by positioning the cams angularly with respect to each other on the cam shaft |44 so that the various valves and switches are actuated at the proper times and in the proper sequence. With the motor |31 driving through the gear box |38, countershaft |42, thence to shaft |44, the machine will complete one cycle of operation for every revolution of the latter shaft. In actual practice, I have found that my machine is capable of operating at three revolutions per minute of the shaft |44, thus producing nine blocks per minute when using a three compartment mold box.

Assume that the material' hopper 5| is filled with plastic concrete material, that the feed drawer is in the rearmost position so that material fill-s the same from feed chute 49, and that a pallet is rbeneath the mold box 26. The rst step in the operation of the machine is for the material drawer to slide forwardly responsive to pressure supplied through line |11 from valve |68 to the cylinder 82.- As soon asthe feed drawer reaches its forwardmost position, cams |19 and |81 close switches |18 and |84, thus energizing the agitator motor 13 and the vibrator motor 39'. The plastic concrete material flows byf-gravity into-,the moldbox 26being; aided by the'rotating agitator shafts 68k and fingers 6-9 thereon, andby the vibration transmitted. to the feed drawer through` the members 2MBv and studs 22.3. As soon as the drawer is emptied, cam- V13 admits pressure to the forwardl end of the cylinder 8.2 through the line |16, causing the feeddrawer to withdraw rearwardly.

The presser head i is now moved downwardly responsive to actuation of valve |51 by cam |53A which admits pressure to the top of cylinder 92 through the lin-e l52. The presser head conti-nuesmoving .downwardly until its travel is1 checked by lthe chains H2- and H3, the lengths of.A which are adjusted to afford the desired `amount of compaction of material in they still vibrating mold box before the downward limit of? travel. is reached. Thevibrator motor 3,9 and' agitator motor 'F3 are now de-energized and immediately thereafter thev valve |138 admits pres-- sure to; the bottom of cylinder 9| through the line 50, responsive to rotation of cam l. The mold box is` then drawn upwardly about the presser headV HVL. which latter is'being held down by pressure in its associated cylinder, thus leaving? thel formed blocksv deposited on the pallet beneath thefmold box. Asv soon as the mold box hasA cleared the tops of the blocks deposited on the pallet, pressure is admitted to the rear of cylinder LM? through line pushing'thefloadedpalletv out onto the rollers 129,

and simultaneously 4positioning an empty pallet beneath the mold box 2.6. One cycle of operation is coinlzvleted as soon as the presser head is raised and the'mold box is lowered.

Froml the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised an improved block machine which is simple of construction and operation, and one in. which hydraulic cylinders are advantageously employed for moving the presser head and mold box. The various valves, cylinders, electrical connections and= motors, may all be of standard construction andV I have found that the cylinderv 92 for the presser head need only be 6 inches in diameter and operated at a pressure of 350 lbs. per sd; inch. The simultaneous vibration and compression, of the material' in the mold box givesafinished block having neat and regular shape and one which has uniform density and strength throughout. I also have found that vibrating the materialdrawer at the time ordischarge into the mold materially aids the flow of material downwardly into the mold, and that the agitating lingers 69 on shafts 68 also man terially aid the discharge. By loosely mounting the feed drawer with respect' to the cutoff plate, material in the feed hopperis notA disturbed by vibration of' the feedv drawer.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited,.but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without: de parting from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as arespecically set forth in` the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a building unit machine, a pair 0f axially aligned verticallysuperposed hydraulic cylinders having pistons and piston rods, a presser head, a moldv box, means connecting the piston rodof the lower cylinderdirectly tothe'Y presser head; as pair of flexiblefmembers operatively'connecting |64'. from valve. NS2` responsive to the rotation of cam. itl... This` causes, thej pallet.- carriage:` HI8 to slide forwardly,

8?? the piston rodof the uppermostI cylinder to the sides of the mold box, and means to admit pres.t sure to said upper cylinder'to move saidmold box upwardly aboutV the presser head thereby to strip the building unit from the mold loox. v

2,. In a buildingfunit machine, upperand'lower hydraulic cylinders each embodying pistons: and piston rods, a frame for supporting the cylinders; a. presser head carried by the piston rod of the' lower cylinder and slidable vertically from raised toflowered positionin said frame,- a mold box disposedbeneath the presser head and slidablefvere tically from lowered tol raised position in the frame, means connecting the piston rod of, said upper cylinder to theV sides of the mold box,` a supply hopper for concrete material, a forwardlyandi rearwardly reciprocating feed drawer for delivering material from they supply hopper to saidy mold box, means automaticallyresponsive to-=forward movement' ofthe feed drawer'to loclesaid presser head and mold box in raised and loweredpositions respectively, and means automatically responsive to rearward movement of said feed. drawer to-unloclr said presser head andmold box;

3-. In. al building unit machine, a frame, a supply hopper' for concrete material.y having a` disv charge opening in its bottom, a mold box, a forwardlyand rearwardly reciprocating feed drawer open` at its tcpv and bottom for transporting ma terial from the` supply hopper to the mold-box; rotatable agitator shafts in the feed drawer, a cutoff plate slidable'beneath the discharge openingyinsaid'supply hopper adapted upon forward reciprocation of the feed drawer to close said opening, means loosely connecting the: feed drawer at its rear corners to thel cutoffr plate; means to vibrate the mold box, rubber cushionssecured to` the forward corners of said feed drawer, andA meanscarried by said moldbox for transmitting vibrations to said rubber cushions.

4. Ina ccncretebldck machine, a downwardly movable presser head, an upwardly movable mold box, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocating feed drawer for suppl-ying concrete material; to the mold' box, slidable pins for locking the-presser head inraisedV position, other slidable pins for locki-r-igw the mold` box', in lowered position', mech,- anism movable with the feed drawer to slideI all of said pins into. locking position upon forward movement of the feed drawer, and otherI mech.- anism movable with the feed drawer for sliding said pins tounlocking position.

5. A concrete block machine in accordance with claim Ll'v in which the mechanism for sliding the plins into; locking position comprises a vertically slidablebar, means movable with the: feed drawer and operable upon forward reciprocation thereof to' slide the bar vertically, and mea-ns con.- necting the* pins to said bar and operable t0 move them tolocking position upon vertical movement of the bar.

6. In a building unit machine embodying a ver'- tically movable mold box, a verticallyl movable presser head disposed' over the 'mold boxl and a re'ciproeabl'e feed drawer disposedto supplyv the mold box-with plastic material, a frame embodying vertically extending members spaced on either side of the4 mold box, a cross membercon'- necting the vertical' members above theim'old box', a pair of superposed axially aligned iluid pressure cylinders embodying pistons and piston-rods, means supporting -said cylinders vfromY the cross member, means operatively connecting the pis.- ton rod of the lower cylinder to the presser head'; amember operatively connected at either end REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Horr Nov. 28, 1905 Updegraff Apr. 11, 1911 Mitchie May 10, 1927 Torelmin, Jr. Mar. 17, 1931 Gelbman July 12, 1932 Wellnitz Jan. 20, 1942 Miller June 25, 1946 

